Neighborhood Bites June 30, 2008

Sylus, my dog, is a barker.  He is almost perfect…almost but when someone invades his home territory, he will bark and growl.  He is completely inncoent though and I doubt he would would hurt anyone unless some little kid pulled his tail or something.  He has always been a roamer.  I let him out, he roams, I let him in.  This has never ever been an issue until…..

We are dog sitting this summer for a friend and the dog, Roux,is such a sweety but she also barks when anyone comes near our house and she’s outside.  Well, Sylus and Roux were outside yesterday and I heard them start barking so I went out and that gave them the okay to approach the people walking down the street.  The man and his child were very nice and once I strated talking with him, the dogs went away and smelt other things.  Well, while I was talking, the people who live around the corner came up the street and the dogs started barking at them.  The kids got all scared and I kept calling the dogs and they wouldn’t listen.  The man made a comment about how scary this was for children and it made me feel SO bad.  I got the dogs in and went to the bathroom and cried.  I didn’t want anyone to think I was a wus but I knew it was my fault that the whole encounter took place.

Of course no one was hurt and the dogs listened to me when I told them to get in the house but I realize that I am WAY too sensitive.  My feelings get hurt very easily when I am the one in the wrong.  The feeling that the encounter gave me actually continued into today.  What sucks is that these people are my neighbors and I have to see them all the time.  I guess I will have to put Sylus on a leash which majorly sucks.  Maybe his kids scared my dog…did he ever think of that!

Friday Thoughts June 20, 2008

Yes, it is Friday. 

Walking to work today, I decided on two things that I want to learn how to do.  One, become a mechanic.  Everytime my car starts to make a new “funny” noise, I wish I knew what the problem was so that I could estimate costs and better yet, fix it myself. My car, bless it, is 12 years old and lately, one thing after another has been going bad.  I just need ‘er to last a couple more years.  I love the mechanic jumpsuit and a little motor oil on the face good be mistaken for a beauty mark in some circles.

The second thing I’d like to learn how to do is play the cello.  I have always thought of the cello as a beautiful, sensual, and sometimes melancholy instrument.  When people play it, they look so involved, swaying their bodies to the strokes of the bow.  Of course, the cello is a very expensieve instrument and then lessons on top of that.  Maybe one day. (I also like the sound of the dulcimer but am not too thrilled about the song choices.)

These things are not far fetched.  It’s not like I want to learn how to become an Astronaut while holding a rare species of water fowl as I take a bubble bath and practice under water basket weaving.  Now, that, that would be impressive.

One last note, my southern accent is out of control.  I hear words coming out of my mouth and I sound like I’ve been living in deep woods Tennessee all my life.  Words like “y’all” are nice and culturally pleasing to me but phrases like ,”Get-R-Dun” are harsh and abrasive and everytime someone utters them, I feel their IQ plummit a few notches.  I am worried about my IQ at the moment.

 

 

Ode to Beautiful Katamari June 17, 2008

Beautiful Katamari, you came into my life when hope was lost

All Video games, to me,  had become violent with a high cost

One grand day I learned about you, from my husband Wil

He encouraged me to play you, said it would be exiciting, “a thrill”

The Prince greeted me, with a catchy song and squeaky walk

He looked so cute with his oblong head and curious, he can’t talk!

Wielding the throw-up rainbow, The King came in, giving me tasks on Earth

The menacing King had buldging biceps, lots to say and plenty of girth

I played you, Katamari, that first night until my left thumb hurt

Rolling my Katamari, picking up animals, plants, and even dirt

The satisfying pop that I have come to love when it is in my ear

Is now even closer thanks to  XBOX Beautiful Katamari being near…………

 

 

Working for a living June 15, 2008

Here it is, Sunday evening, and I’m just as tired as I was Friday evening.  It all started Friday when I got home from work and super chugged a delicious Margarhita.  Delicious, yes. Meant to be chugged, no.  So then we grilled us some kabobs, had the neighbor folk over and then played Beautiful Katamari while we ate chocolate covered potato chips.  My kind of night!  As it started to get late, we watched Transformers which surprisingly held my attention for a good 60 minutes and then, I realized I had dozed off when I woke to find the plot had totally changed and I wasn’t quiet sure why.  So we headed home.

The next day, I woke up and laid around while I watched five episodes of the Canadian teen drama, Degrassi.  We then packed our bags and headed to Chattanooga and went to the Riverbend Festival.  I wasn’t expecting much and ended up having a great time.  First surprise was that we got into the VIP section because of WIl’s connections throught the church which meant free food.  And then we headed over to a stage to hear Galactic which is cool and all, but you really need to be drunk or stoned to fully enjoy it and I was neither.  Then, they are all, “welcome our special guests, J5!!”  The show was awesome.

Then we ended up being bouncers in the ultra VIP section which is hilarious to me because I am a total push over.  The band was some old fogy group who sang hits like, “Working for a Living” and “American Woman”.  Then the fireworks topped it all off and they were, hands down, the best fireworks I have ever seen.  Disney does a great job but this was somehow better.

Went to church way to early this morning and then we had lunch with Maheed, a middle eastern man who is now a Priest and living in London being all Episcopal and shit.  He was very interesting and I was not bored at all which surprised me (I get bored when conversation isn’t about facecare products or LOST).  He is starting a new program that covers a lot of questions I have about religion and science and how it all meets and changes……I tried to sound intelligent during conversation but my funny faces always get in the way.  Oh well.

And now, I’m here.  Ready for an evening shower and a few more rounds of Beautiful Katamari.  I’m going to have to go to work to rest.